Walkin My Baby Back Home
by nericearren
Summary: Inspired by the Nat King Cole song. Another angsty fic, this one Question and Huntress centric.


Walking My Baby Back Home

_Gee, it's great after bein' out late_

_Walkin' my baby back home_

_Arm in arm over meadow and farm_

_Walkin' my baby back home _

Vic Sage, better known as the infamous Question, hums the lyrics of the old song under his breath as he walks beside the dark-haired Helena. The streets are dark, lit only by a few streetlights here and there, and after a few moments, Huntress slips her hand into his. He has to suppress a smile, though she can't see because of his mask. He wears it less often, now that he's with her, than before, but he just got off his shift on the Watchtower. "Afraid of the dark?" he asks, and for once he's really asking, not just trying to confirm a theory. When it comes to Helena, he's certain about nothing. Guesswork doesn't even come close to the effort he has to take to even find out her favorite ice cream flavor; it would just figure that the most curious man on earth would end up in love with possibly the most secretive girl in history.

"Wouldn't you be?" she answers his question with a question of her own, which he finds unbelievably lame. And frustrating. He squeezes her fingers. "Depends on who I'm with."

"Don't try to flirt. You fail." she says flatly, and then smiles. "What was that song, anyway?"

"This one?" he sings a few bars.

_We go 'long harmonizing a song_

_Or I'm recitin' a poem_

_Owls go by and they give me the eye_

_Walkin' my baby back home _

She rolls her eyes, not impressed with his singing. "Yeah. That one."

"Walkin' My Baby Back Home. Nat King Cole. Widely regarded as the king of jazz."

"I thought that was Louis Armstrong."

"Are you saying _I'm_ wrong?" he tilts his head in a way that she knows, without seeing his expression, that he's giving her a _look_. The Helena-stop-being-childish look. The I-am-superior look. The Helena-put-down-the-rocket-launcher-and-let-me-rui n-your-fun look.

"Yes." she says, sulkily.

"Then ask Wikipedia." he replies, amused. He's always amused by her-he finds her ways strange, un-understandable, and enchanting. Even when she's being obstinate-like now-or when she's taking him completely by surprise, even when he's supposed to be mad at her, he loves all of that, too. It's endlessly interesting to be around her, and he wouldn't give up her company for the world. That's partly what keeps him calling her for help every week; the other part is that she's actually good at what she does, if unorthodox.

He's pretty unorthodox, too.

"Well, then, I will." Helena says, with a hint of the attitude she usually reserves for Black Canary. Vic, with a sudden burst of confidence and affection, wraps an arm around her shoulders. He almost expects her to shrug him off, and mentally prepares himself for the embarrassment, but she leans into him and loops a finger in his belt loop, pulling him into the nearest clump of bushes.

"Ooomph!" he cries in surprise, throwing his hands to catch himself before he falls on top of her, his thumbs brushing her hips, one knee in between her knees in a very indecent position. He tries to get up, but she grabs his tie with one hand, loosening it, and wraps the other hand around his neck, smashing their lips together despite the thin mask between them. She pulls away long enough to spray him with the aerosol she filched from him at some point. He's nervous that someone will see his transformation and find out who he is, paranoid that there are cameras in the bushes of suburbia, but her lips subdue any doubts he has.

He forgets his bashfulness and lets his weight press her down into the grass. Her devious chuckle against his chin makes him smile, and he kisses her nose before returning to her perfectly pink mouth. She slings one leg around his waist, pulling his closer, and nudges at his bottom lip with her tongue. He lets her in, perfectly happy to allow her to dominate the kiss. She runs her tongue around his, and he moans involuntarily, craving more as he presses down against her.

She laughs and pushes him away, and he sees it in her face for an instant-this is all a game for her. A power game, to prove that, even if he does know "everything", she still has him by the balls. "Easy, there, tiger." she chuckles, and, humiliated, he gets up, finding his hat from where it was discarded by the edge of the sidewalk and jamming it low onto his head, hiding his eyes and hoping it will be enough to fool any watchers that he's the same man who stepped into the bushes a few minutes ago. He feels exposed, unsafe, and it's all _her_ fault. He fixes his tie as he walks rapidly away from Helena, who has to double-step to keep up.

"Hey. Hey, got a comb?" she asks callously, running her fingers through her hair. Without looking at her, he thrusts a pocket comb in her direction, forcing himself to not watch as she combs out the dark, beautiful locks. He doesn't want to love her right now; he wants to be mad.

She notices.

"What's wrong? Vic?"

"Nothing." he growls, pulling the brim of his hat even lower in an effort to hide his scowl. Huntress takes his arm, concern written all over her face. "Baby, even I know you're lying. What is it? I thought...I mean, we were making out just a second ago-"

"Really? You mean it was actually important enough to you that you remember?" He can't help the sarcasm that flows out of him, even though it puts a crease of anger in the worry on her face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You figure it out. You're obviously eager to prove you're smarter." he jerks away from her, speeding up. She trots after him. "Is that what's wrong? I bruised your precious ego?" she, too, can't stop venom from creeping into her tone.

"Not my ego." he snaps, whirling to face her, pushing his hat back. "Just my...heart." he feels ridiculous saying it, especially while staring into those violet eyes. She props her hands on her hips, cocking her head. "What the pug is that supposed to mean? Is kissing harmful to the cardiac muscle, now? Has a new study come out proving that, or is it one of your crazy theories?"

"My theories are NOT crazy!" He can't believe she just said that. He's used to people dismissing him as a crackpot, but coming from her, the one person who always believed him, the words hurt more than he'd expect. Helena scowls. "You know, you're as moody as a girl, sometimes!" she cries. "I don't even know what's _bothering_ you, but you're acting like I did something heinous-"

"Does it mean anything to you?" he blurts out, and she stops her rant, confusion and shock written across her face. "What?"

Embarrassed, he gestures between the two of them. "Us. Does that mean anything to you? Because...because, it means a lot to me. A lot." he blushes. "I've never...I mean, girls have never...it means a lot to me. You-_you_ mean a lot to mean. I-" he stops. She's thrown her arms around his neck, one hand cradling his head into the crook of her neck, the other draped across his shoulders. He brings his own hands up, one cupping her elbow, the other resting lightly, tentatively, at her waist.

"You stupid man." she mumbles into his ear. "You stupid, sweet, _ridiculous_ man. You're going to make me cry." He can, actually, feel Helena's wet eyelashes against the side of his head. "I can't believe you thought-I mean...oh, God. I-I feel the same way. I-you. _You_ are the most important person..the most important relationship I've ever had. Don't you ever think it doesn't mean anything to me."

"You laughed at me." he says, feeling foolish now. Petty. She laughs again, but there's a soft note to it. "Yeah. And you sang to me. So we're even."

"After I kinda straighten my tie

She has to borrow my comb

Once kiss then I continue again

Walkin' my baby back home,

She's 'fraid of the dark so I have to park

Outside of her door till it's light

She says if I try to kiss her she'll cry

I dry her tears all through the night." he sings softly, his lips brushing her collarbone. She shivers. "Let's get to the part 'outside of my door'." she says mischievously. "Only I won't make you stay outside."

The Question smiles and decides that it will be worth it, in the future, to walk his "baby" back home more often.


End file.
